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WHY HYENA LIMPSA S T O L D B Y L I N D A R O D E

One day Hyena and Jackal were lying in the shade of a camel thorn.

Hyena’s heavy head and strong jaws were resting on his forepaws.

Jackal’s pointed snout lay on his forepaws too. A flock of swifts

swooped past, and Jackal looked up into the sky.

“Hyena,” he said, “see that big fluffy cloud? Did you know that

it’s actually made of lumps of mouthwatering mutton fat? I’ll bring

you back a piece.” And step by step Jackal climbed up into the sky

and reached the white cloud, for in those days animals could do

marvellous things.

Jackal ate his fill. He ate until his whiskers glistened with grease,

his entire snout glistened and fat was dripping down his neck.

But now he had to get back down. This was a bit more difficult

than going up.

“Hey there, Hyena,” Jackal called. “Stand ready to catch me if I

fall. I’ll bring you a big chunk of fat for your trouble!”

Hyena dutifully got up and stood ready to catch Jackal. Whop!

Hyena’s big frame broke Jackal’s fall, preventing Jackal from knocking

himself out. But where was the promised chunk of fat?

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“O, salamanderslipperysnake,” Jackal groaned, pretending to be

sorry. “It seems I have forgotten to bring your chunk of fat.”

Hyena sighed. “Well, I’ll just have to climb up myself then.” Step

by step he climbed up into the blue sky, just the way Jackal had

done. Hyena lay down on the cloud of fat and ate and ate. When

his stomach was as round as a barrel, he called down to Jackal: “My

brother, you with the black saddle on your back, it’s your turn to

catch me now!”

“I’m ready!” Jackal called back, holding out his forepaws.

Just before Hyena hit the ground, Jackal leaped out of the way.

“Ow-ow-ow-ow, a thorn in my paw, aaauuuooww!” he screamed.

With a thud, Hyena landed on the hard earth, seriously injuring

his back.

That is why Hyena limps around like one with an injured back.

Some people even say his left hind leg is shorter than the right one.

And it is all Jackal’s fault.

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